Manchester United have reportedly made contact to sign Barcelona defender Alejandro Balde, as per a recent Spanish report.
The 22-year-old started his youth career at Sant Gabriel before spending a couple of years at Espanyol. He joined the Blaugrana’s famous La Masia academy at the age of eight.
Having come through the Catalan giants’ youth system, the Spaniard made his first team debut back in 2021 before establishing himself as an undisputed starter.
Balde has already won two La Liga titles and a few major domestic cup competitions over the last few years. Moreover, he has been helping his side to mount a title charge once again this season, sitting at the top of the table with a four-point lead.
In 34 appearances across all competitions, the defender has registered three assists and kept four clean sheets this campaign.
Now, as per a recent Spanish report (via Fichajes), Man Utd are looking to reinforce the left-back position with a young, explosive player and have identified Balde as a serious option, having been impressed by his recent performances.
The Old Trafford club have already stepped up their efforts by holding talks to understand the details of a potential signing. Apart from United, Manchester City and Aston Villa are also in the race and have made enquiries about the deal.
Balde to Man Utd
However, the report state that Barcelona have no intention of parting ways with Balde, with his existing deal set to run until 2028, while the player isn’t in a hurry to leave his boyhood club.
The youngster, valued at around £48m by Transfermarkt, is technically sound, can dribble past opposition defenders in tight areas, and is efficient in defensive contributions.
He is a highly talented player and possesses the potential to become a top-class fullback in the future. So, he might be a shrewd acquisition for Man Utd with a view to the long-term future should they purchase him.
However, Balde has struggled with fitness problems in recent years, and Man Utd should be very careful about that before making any potential swoop for him.
Having already got injury-prone players like Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martínez, Luke Shaw, and Mason Mount, United would be reluctant to spend big money on a similar type of player.
